Caroline Lindy’s debut feature film Your Monster starring Melissa Barrera opens the 14th Lower East Side Film Festival (“LESFF”) taking place Thursday, May 2 – Monday, May 6 at Village East Cinema and DCTV Firehouse Cinema in New York City.
The dark comedy film Puddysticks from writer/director Megan Seely will close the festival at Village East Cinema on May 6..
The festival’s lineup features the innovative work of creative, up-and-coming filmmakers, and showcases their films in the heart of New York City’s vibrant and historic Lower East Side.
In addition, special screenings at Village East Cinema celebrate the 25th Anniversary of 1999, aka the Greatest Year of Movies – Ever!. Retrospectives include “Cruel Intentions” with Q&A with Director Roger Kumble on May 3, Chris Smith’s 1999 documentary debut “American Movie” on May 4 and “But I’m A Cheerleader” plus Q&A with Director Jamie Babbit on May 5.
LESFF will also host “CineSex” – a live conversation on sex and cinema on May 5 at 3pm and Village East Cinema. A panel of writers, directors, actors, and intimacy coordinators will discuss some of their favorite sex scenes from film and television history.
This year LESFF jury includes Lizzy Caplan (Fleishman Is in Trouble, Party Down); Beanie Feldstein (Booksmart, American Crime Story); Academy Award nominated producer and co-founder of Killer Films, Pamela Koffler (Past Lives, May December); actress, singer, filmmaker Brittany Snow (Parachute, Pitch Perfect, John Tucker Must Die); writer, comedian and actor, Julio Torres (Problemista, SNL); and, stars of Hulu’s, “This Fool” with Chris Estrada and Frankie Quiñones, Chelsea Lupkin (Short Of The Week); Michael Levesque (Owner of Plush NY) and James King (Artistic Director of ALL ARTS).
FEATURE FILMS
Thursday, May 2
OPENING NIGHT
“Your Monster” at Village East Cinema
Opening night kicks off with director Caroline Lindy’s debut feature, “Your Monster,” on May 2 at 8:30pm starring Melissa Barrera (In The Heights, Scream). “Your Monster” is the musically inclined tale of Laura Franco, a soft-spoken actress who finds her voice again when she meets a terrifying, yet weirdly charming Monster living in her closet. Also starring Tommy Dewey (Casual), Meghann Fahy (The White Lotus), and Edmund Donovan (Gossip Girl, Tell Me Lies) “Your Monster” is a fantastical and dark romantic comedy about falling in love with your inner rage.
Sunday, May 5 AT VILLAGE EAST CINEMA
“Love and Work”
The charming comedy, “Love and Work” will premiere at Village East Cinema on May 5 at 4:30pm directed by Pete Ohs, starring actress and writer Stephanie Hunt (Friday Night Lights, Californication). The film originally premiered at Slamdance Film Festival this year. Set in a polarized world where having a job is illegal, “Love and Work” follows the budding romance of Diane and Fox, two people who love to work.
Monday, May 6
CLOSING NIGHT
“Puddysticks” at Village East Cinema
Plus the dark comedy, “Puddysticks” will close the festival at Village East Cinema on May 6 at 7:30pm. “Puddysticks” follows anxious videogame designer Liz and her therapeutic odyssey into a secret society of adults who play like little kids. Writer/Director Megan Seely stars alongside Dan Bakkedahl (Veep), Emmy-nominee Mamoudou Athie (Jurassic World, Patti Cake$) and Danny Deferrari (Shiva Baby), and is produced by Alex Coco (A24’s Red Rocket). Seely says, “This film includes much of my own secrets, social anxiety, and experiences. I have learned that when someone has the courage to share their own story, it opens up others to do the same. Puddysticks offers a mirror for audiences to see themselves in the characters and help alleviate the stigma of private shame. My hope is that viewers will have a wildly enjoyable time through the dark comedy and unique world, and also feel more okay and alive in their own being. I deeply believe in this story.”
Saturday, May 4
DOC DAY AT DCTV CINEMA
“Dancing on the Edge of a Volcano”
Documentary Day at DCTV Firehouse Cinema on May 4 at 4:30pm will showcase “Dancing on the Edge of a Volcano,” a documentary directed by Cyril Aris about the aftermath of the catastrophic explosion on August 4, 2020 in Beirut as a film crew faces a serious dilemma: should they defy the chaos and move forward with the shooting of their film or surrender to the multiple crises that are spreading all over the country? The documentary captures their relentless battle to keep making cinema in a shattered city.
Saturday, May 4
DOC DAY AT DCTV CINEMA
“Nathan-ism”
In addition, DCTV Firehouse Cinema will also screen “Nathan-ism,” on May 4 at 6:30pm directed by Elan Golod. The film is a moving portrait of Nathan Hilu, a virtually unknown “outsider artist” who spent 70 years obsessively creating a visual narrative from his memories of being a guard to top Nazi war criminals at the Nuremberg trials. What begins as a peek at a unique witness to history grows into an absorbing study of the function of art as archive and invention. Daring to question an artist’s stories, “Nathan-ism” is a fascinating look at one man’s need to share truths with a world that doesn’t always want to listen.